P.H. Solomon's Blog, page 300
June 17, 2015
Why You Should Recycle Blog Tour Posts – Carefully
This summer I expect to begin writing up some blog tour ideas for when The Bow of Destiny is release. I’ve already got a list and it’s growing. Here’s the thing, if you are going to spend the time writing up who knows how many blog tour articles why not get as much use as possible out of them?
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Now I’m not saying post these during a blog tour while they are being used. Neither am I saying you should re-use them all for all your blog tours (though if you find an idea or theme is usually popular then ride it, just with differing posts). What I am saying is that you can recycle this content on your blog later – sparingly.
Think about it. You’ve spent a great deal of time writing for all these tours. You’ve also got a blog meant to promote you and your writing. You’re frequently going to put your books on sale at various times of the year. If you are like me and you’re writing a book series then you’ll be releasing related books to the one that you’ve put through a tour already.
Why not put those tour posts to good use? There are those who believe that you shouldn’t re-use these and I agree that you shouldn’t do so repeatedly on more than one blog tour. However, you can re-post similar content on your site so that those readers who want to know more can learn more and those who have not seen the posts can read what they haven’t seen already.
So when you’ve got more going on with your book – post something from a former blog tour. If you are releasing a subsequent book on another tour, use an old blog tour post from earlier works in the series on your site with added links to the ongoing tour and release material. In other words, much like you might see a short story published several times you should re-use your blog tour content to continually enhance your book promotion. Just don’t re-use posts continually on every tour and every sales event since your readers are looking for new insights into your book – there’s a balance.
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Here are three ways you gain from recycling tour posts:
1. It also means that you spend less time coming up with new blog material. You can build on what you have and provide additional information on development.
2. Additionally, that content keeps working for you, meaning the time you spent actually magnifies the useful exposure it continues to gain your book. Think of it this way, the time spent writing it is super-charged, providing returns like you actually spent 10 hours on that post rather than 1 (that’s just an example. I don’t actually know how much it will return, just that it can boost that original effort).
3. Lastly, it means that you’ve got more time to write and promote more of your content.
So don’t just write those blog tours and throw them away. Recycle them with a bit of fresh content and links to additional material. Get full use out of your hard work and let those old posts gain the most exposure possible for your book – you owe it to yourself for all the hours you put into the book and its release. Regardless, always post your tour and events for you newest book on your site, preferably with your informative posts.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. I’ve updated the site with a new landing page starting today but you can still view the News page for announcements. As part of the changes, new email subscribers will receive my free new guide, 15 Must Have Apps for Self-Publishing Authors. Sign-up today! I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Amazon, Author Platform, Barnes & Noble, Blog Tour, Blogging, Creativity, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: Blog Tour, blogging, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Launch, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, writing
Fantasy Genre Happenings & Recent Interviews
Ryan Doughan was recently interviewed in Fantasy Authors Unplugged
Probably the biggest news of the last week involving the fantasy genre was that passed away. If you haven’t read his bio it’s quite a list of accomplishments in a lifetime spanning 93 years.
The latest book by Terry Brooks, The Defenders of Shannara: The Darkling Child, came out on 6/9. I’ll read it soon and hand out my review but I do like the cover. Also, the Shannara TV series is set to premiere soon (listed as July on IMDB) and includes John Rhys-Davies in the cast. For those interested fans, Allanon is played by Manu Bennett.
As noted in last week’s review post, an unpublished story by J. R. R. Tolkien was bought by – and will presumably be published soon – by HarperCollins. It’s good to see that the scion of the fantasy genre is still having fiction published.
Finalist for the International Book Awards
Here’s a list of recent authors interviewed for Fantasy Authors Unplugged:
Tami Dearen
Michael Davies
Carol Marrs Phipps
Harmony Kent
Nicholas Rossis
Ryan Doughan
C. P. Bialois
Looking for more new fantasy releases? Here are a few listed on Goodreads. See you over there!
Just as a point of my own news, I’m putting the finishing touches on The Bow of Destiny right now. The target date for release is 9/30 and I’ll appear in a large blog tour for Indie-authors entitled Brain to Books as the end of August. I’ll release free, related stories in August and September. If you would like to keep up with my events please sign-up on my email list to receive updates. Currently, The Bow of Destiny is with my beta readers who are giving it the once-over for feedback.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. I’ve updated the site with a new landing page starting today but you can still view the News page for announcements. As part of the changes, new email subscribers will receive my free new guide, 15 Must Have Apps for Self-Publishing Authors. Sign-up today! I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, C. P. Bialois, Carol Marrs Phipps, Doom, Elemental Earth, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fiction, Finding Katie, Goodreads, Harmony Kent, Heart of the Staff, Indie Publishing, Mad Water, Marketing, Michael Davies, Mist Falcon, Nicholas Rossis, Pangea, Path of the Warrior, Pearseus, Pinterest, Planning, Rave Review Book Club, Reviews, Rise of the Prince, Runaway Smile, Ryan Doughan, Schism, Science Fiction, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tamie Dearen, The Battle for Brisingamen, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Glade, The Sword and the Flame: The Forging, The Winter Creek Beast, The Winter Creek Hunter, Twitter, Vigil, Writing Tagged: 2015 International Book Awards, C. P. Bialois, Carol Marrs Phipps, Christopher Lee, Coverart, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Finding Katie, Harmony Kent, HarperCollins, Heart of the Staff, IMDB, Indie Publishing, J. R. R. Tolkien, Marketing, Michael Davies, Mist Falcon, MTV, Nicholas Rossis, P. H. Solomon, Pearseus, Ryan Doughan, Tamie Dearen, Terry Brooks, The Bow of Destiny, The Darkling Child, The Winter Creek Hunter, The World of Pangea, Twitter, writing
June 15, 2015
Conference Notes Pt. 2: Alternative Writing Income
Introduction
I recently attended a local writing conference and came away with notes on several topics which interested me. Last week, I post about creating compelling characters. This week, I turn to a completely different subject but one which may be no less appealing.
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Lately, I’ve been more interested in increasing my current writing income to better fund my fiction and author platform needs. I’ve been writing some short fiction to submit to magazine markets but acceptance is very competitive.
It’s fairly well known that non-fiction pays better per word than fiction. But most consumer non-fiction is pretty competitive also and for someone like me, adding some income sooner rather than later is important for future plans.
However, there is a less competitive alternative if you are willing to give it a try – writing for trade magazines. Trade magazines are basically journals, magazines and newsletters written for specific industries so the audiences are specific. This type of magazine is not the same as a consumer magazine which you see on sale at stores. Personally, I’m still giving this particular option my consideration but I’m leaning toward trying it. Here are some reasons to try it as well as some tips to get started.
Reasons To Write For Trade Magazines
1. The barriers to entry in this market are much lower than literary and consumer magazines. There are just fewer writers in this field so there’s less competition.
2. The pay per article or word is generally much higher than literary and consumer magazines.
3. Most trade publications lack staff so use of freelance writers and acceptance of proposed ideas is much higher.
4. Since it’s easier to break into the industry you can quickly build a reputation and branch out into other publications quickly – depending on your need for income and your availability.
Considerations About Style
Because this is a different type of writing there are differences in style which a new trade magazine writer must consider in approaching this market.
You should be willing to conduct interviews.
You should work to be come familiar with writing in some version of Associated Press style.
Learn to write in an inverted pyramid style which means you should have the most important details at the beginning of the story. The least important aspects of the story should go at the end so that if the story needs to have content cut the editor can easily do this. These details are: how, who, what where, when and why of the story.
Also in consideration of style, begin with a lede (correct spelling) that is either anecdotal or descriptive. Next include the nut graf or the idea followed by the body. However, all the main details should be in the nut graf in case the story needs to be cut below that point.
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Getting Started
Here are further tips to get started writing for trade publications.
1. Learn about the industry you are targeting. You may have more than one interest in mind so learn about each. You are not required to be an expert or even have contacts within the industry but understanding aspects of it are necessary.
2. Read the magazine(s) for the industry that you are targeting. This is one of the best ways to learn about the industry.
3. If you really want to engage your targeted industry more and have the time and/or money, try visiting a convention or trade-show.
4. Once you feel like you have enough insights about your targeted industry pitch an idea to an editor based on the style currently used by the publication. If you already have credits make sure to include these “clips” in a .pdf document so the editor can gauge your writing. If you are brand new, offer to write a piece for free though this is not advised in all cases since it cheapens your value. Instead, offer a sample piece and then volunteer to write an article that you’ve noticed is usually credited to the staff (meaning that it gets written by whoever is available. Note that these are usually shorter pieces and a great way to gain trust).
5. Once you’re working with one or more publications, make sure you communicate your upcoming availability so an editor understands how much work to assign to you. As in my case, I would plan to write limited numbers of articles simply to fund my fiction so I want to spend as little time as possible on trade publications and work on fiction. However, if the publication is mostly on-line the articles will be much less than 1,000 words, usually averaging about 500, so the time investment in actually writing articles can be minimal (the actual time investment would be in interviews and research).
One last note about about what you need to know going into this kind of writing. The interviews may often be setup by the publication or even come from press releases. Also, being factually accurate, especially when quoting people is very important so interviews are often recorded.
Conclusion
So there you have it, one way to supplement your fiction writing with another kind of writing. It can be interesting and fun as well as help you jump-start your fiction writing budget.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. I’ve updated the site with a new landing page starting today but you can still view the News page for announcements. As part of the changes, new email subscribers (you won’t be spammed nor sold) will receive my free new guide, 15 Must Have Apps for Self-Publishing Authors. Sign-up today! I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Blogging, Creativity, Editing, Indie Publishing, Non-fiction, Pinterest, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Indie Publishing, non-fiction, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Trade Publications, Twitter, writing
June 14, 2015
Working With Web Page Content in Scrivener
Scrivener is a powerful writing tool. I write about it weekly with tips and usage ideas. To read more of my posts click the Scrivener tag or category at the end of the page.
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A while back one of the readers of this blog suggested I write a post about importing and saving web files. Honestly, I’d never thought about it since it’s just not something that I do that much. However, there are many writers out there that use features of Scrivener more often than I do writing non-fiction or using their research on a wide scale.
So here I am giving it a good try to describe how web files can be imported and saved in Scrivener. There are several points to understand about this process before we go much further and part of that is understanding what a web file is. Simply put it is a file which is encoded with html language for use on webpages whether these be public or private.
Next, why would anyone want to import a web file? Many people want to import their content to be edited and revised.
Last, why save content as a web file? Many people use this to make webpages for their websites. Personally I just copy and paste my blog content rather than compiling a web format – the WordPress.com tools are just more conducive to making the simple data transfer. I still have to add media but I’ve found that it’s easier than importing to my website. However, while many people use the WordPress software on their sites, they are hosted elsewhere so posting is different than what I do and it makes sense to compile a blog or page to html format first.
So why the difference? It has most to do with Scrivener’s editor which is admittedly not as robust as Word (Scrivener’s strength lies in its organizational and developmental features). The editor does not allow wrapping around photos like Word. So if you want to save the content as a web document and it has photos or illustrations in it you may still need to edit it in Word to get the wrapping effects that you prefer. I use WordPress.com’s features to wrap text so it makes sense for me to transfer to content and then add media.
So with all that in mind here’s how to save your content as a web document. First you must compile your finished document to html by clicking on File and then Compile to open the compiler:
Next, if you have multiple documents in the project but only want to compile one use ALT + Click (that’s press the ALT key and click) on a checkbox. Then select the individual document. Next, in the file format choose Web Page (.html) and click Compile. Select the location to save the file and there you have it.
It you have pictures and other media in the document but want them wrapped (or want to add them), just use word – you can edit a webpage from Word. From there you post your content/document according to your hosting requirements.
As a final note, you can import a web document as a .MHT which you must then save as a .PDF to view in Scrivener. To edit webpage content, it must first be imported as text. To do this, click on File, go to Import and choose Web Page as noted in this screenshot:
Next you have the Import window and here are screenshots of that with options for the available file formats:
There’s a bit more to this that begins to relate to MML (Multi-Markup Language) which gets into a different subject altogether and too much information for this post.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. I’ve updated the site with a new landing page starting today but you can still view the News page for announcements. As part of the changes, new email subscribers will receive my free new guide, 15 Must Have Apps for Self-Publishing Authors. Sign-up today! I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Just as a note: I am not affiliated with Scrivener in any official capacity. For support questions, pricing and other concerns please contact the vendor.
Filed under: Blogging, Creativity, Editing, Indie Publishing, Pinterest, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Formatting, Goals, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, writing
June 13, 2015
Scrivener Tips Pt. 8: Keyboard Shortcuts
Scrivener is a powerful writing tool. I write about it weekly with tips and usage ideas. To read more of my posts click the Scrivener tag or category at the end of the page.
There are many fantastic tools in Scrivener of which a writer can make easy use. But I often find that hate to pause too much while writing to click and change something. Or if I’m making changes there are just too many time-consuming clicks to reach a command on a menu. For this reason, I tend to use keyboard shortcuts in varying tandems with mouse clicks. Here are some favorite keyboard shortcuts for some of the Scrivener commands that I use:
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The following are normally reached by clicking Format and going to the Font fly-out menu:
1. Strikethrough – Ctrl/Shift/-
2. Underline – Ctrl/U
3. Italic – Ctrl/I
4. Bold – Ctrl/B
5. Bigger/smaller font – Ctrl/> or < (these do require using the Shift key to use the upper case otherwise you’ll get something else opening such as Project Stats).
The following are commands that also appear on the Format menu that I use. The additional ones listed you may use for non-fiction but I largely don’t for fiction:
1. Ruler – Ctrl/Shift/R
2. Add comment – Shift/F4
You can change views quickly by clicking on the View menu or using the shortcuts listed there
1. Document – Ctrl/1
2. Corkboard – Ctrl/2
3. Outline – Ctrl/3
4. Full screen – F11
I know many people use their mouse often but for those who like to use these types of shortcuts they can be very helpful. I make use of them often to keep my typing flow going and also because I’m on a laptop regularly without a mouse attached and stopping too much to use the mouse-pad can be a hassle unless necessary. It takes some memory but with practice I’ve gotten faster at using them without thinking too much.
These may be a bit of minute details however I find them easier to use than clicking so much. As an example, if I’m striking through a goal on a list I would highlight it and use the keyboard shortcut rather than waving the cursor around and clicking through menus. I hope these are useful to you, especially those who are new to Scrivener and may be looking for these shortcuts similar to those in Word.
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What keyboard shortcuts do you like using? What shortcut from Word or another editor have you been unable to find/use with Scrivener? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Editing, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tech Tips, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Fantasy Fiction, Formatting, Goals, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, writing
June 12, 2015
Formatting Pt. 4: Creating New Scrivener Presets
Scrivener is a powerful writing tool. I write about it weekly with tips and usage ideas. To read more of my posts click the Scrivener tag or category at the end of the page.
In previous posts on this topic I covered formatting for an e-book. using styles in Word and creating bookmarks/hyperlinks using Word to enhance your manuscript for publication. But I also mentioned using preset styles in Scrivener so I’m covering that today.
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Much like with Word you can use preset format styles to easily change formatting in your Scrivener documents. These are located in the Format toolbar at the top of the editor:
However, if you want to create additional presets to use while writing, here are the steps to do that:
1. Create some content with the formatting you wish to use or open a document in Scrivener that already has this formatting.
2. Make sure you’ve click into the formatted area you want to use for a preset.
3. Click on Format, Formatting, New Preset from Selection:
4. Name the preset and click OK.
To use presets you have created click within the content paragraph or highlight all the content to be changed and select it from the list of presets in the formatting toolbar (see the first screenshot above) or in the Formatting menu click Apply Preset to choose what you want. You can also delete presets from the Formatting menu should you find you no longer need a preset. Once you have your preset(s) created you can also apply them to your document templates and project templates to get to work even faster.
Have you used presets in Scrivener before? Do you have specific presets created that may help other Scrivener users? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Just as a note: I am not affliated with Scrivener in any official capacity. For support questions, pricing and other concerns please contact the vendor.
Filed under: Editing, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Tech Tips, Templates, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Formatting, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Word, writing
Week In Review on Archer’s Aim – June 12th
Here’s another review of the week for those interested in what’s appeared on the blog this week and what I’ve been reading.
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From Archer’s Aim This Week:
Power-User Vs. Avid Scrivener User
Conference Notes Pt. 1: Compelling Characters
Fantasy Authors Unplugged Featuring C. P. Bialois
The Problems with Last Century Fantasy Cartography
Posts & Articles I’ve been reading this week:
I’m constantly looking for ways to improve my site, here are few suggestions: Bulk Up Your Blog With Killer WordPress Plugins & Features.
With my book, The Bow of Destiny, almost finished, I’ll be working with a few beta readers for feedback – here’s a questionnaire from Stacy Claflin to use for those at the same phase.
It’s nice to see that Tolkien’s still being published today – here’s news about an unpublished story due out soon.
Again, want to improve my site and its effectiveness – here’s some information from Kim Garst about bounce rates.
I hope everyone has taken advantage of subscribing to my email list to receive my guide: 15 Must Have Internet & Software Gadgets for Self-Publishing Authors. If you are signing-up over these few days and don’t see the notification of where to download the book please be patient and I’ll catch-up with all my notices (I don’t yet have the email/site hosting to automate this yet but I’m working on it).
Happy weekend, everyone!
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. I’ve updated the site with a new landing page starting today but you can still view the News page for announcements. As part of the changes, new email subscribers (you won’t be spammed or sold) will receive my free new guide, 15 Must Have Apps for Self-Publishing Authors. Sign-up today! I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, C. P. Bialois, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Pinterest, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Bow of Destiny, The Sword and the Flame: The Forging, The Winter Creek Beast, The Winter Creek Hunter, Tips, Twitter, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged: blogging, C. P. Bialois, characterization, Coverart, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Fantasy Map, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Bow of Destiny, The Winter Creek Hunter, Tips, Twitter, writing
June 10, 2015
The Problems with Last Century Fantasy Cartography
My editor has asked me one question several times, “Do you have a map?” It’s a valid question since a map is a key element to every epic fantasy that really adds depth to a book in subtle ways. A map serves as a guide to both the plot of a book and the reader. The map in LOTR was what made the book incredibly interesting since you could follow the story visually. I’ve seen some well executed maps in books in recent years. Once such is from Russell Kirkpatrick’s books and the map is extremely detailed – but then he’s a cartographer by trade.
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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
I do have a map. Here’s how my humble process went to create it: one day many years ago I sat down and hand drew my map with a variety of details and notions of stories and histories for my fantasy world. It was highly creative to explore this fantasy world as I drew all the rivers, mountains, forests, cities and countries. I could imagine what people lived where and how the geography shaped their daily lives.
That was long ago and my story has morphed. It was so long ago that the map would now be considered derivative of several early works of fantasy – you know what I mean. There’s just been a lot of fantasy water under the bridge (more on that at a later date). But even worse than the dated map is the age of the paper that was discolored by a water-spot. So not only is my map in need of updating, it also needs to be completely re-done. But don’t worry, just as I’ve updated my epic fantasy to current standards I’m also updating the map.
As I wind down editing The Bow of Destiny, I’ve turned to all the other details so the map has become a more immediate concern. I face several challenges with an old, damaged map in a digital age. One is getting a new copy without water-spots. The other is transferring the entire map into digital format for an e-book – something for which I never planned. Since it’s unique, my map is like a one-of-a-kind treasure map from any number of pirate or treasure-hunter stories and movies so getting a digital version is even more important.
I’ve taken the challenges one at a time. I purchased tracing paper from an art supply so I could trace the map. Next, I’ll get it copied – hopefully on a larger sheet of paper so I can have place names written on the map in stylized script. The second challenge should be easy – have the map scanned to file which I should then be able to use for the e-book. I also plan to blow-up sections of the map where The Bow of Destiny and supporting stories are set so readers can see it better (maps in e-readers do leave something to be desired due to size so I’m trying to make mine more visible). I can also use sections in free short stories I plan to release later this summer which makes my fantasy cartography more important.
I imagine that at some point I’ll likely do something to improve the map further. Also, when making maps for future books in new fantasy worlds I’d prefer to do so beginning with a digital copy so it’s cleaner from the beginning. But for now, this beginner is taking last century map-making and transferring it into current century technology.
So that’s a bit of information for readers about creating a fantasy book – especially one in the making as long as mine. I’m sure a lot of readers don’t think about this detail too much since it’s so ubiquitous but it is very important to a fantasy writer like me. It’s all part of the creative process and can never be discounted.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. I’ve updated the site with a new landing page starting today but you can still view the News page for announcements. As part of the changes, new email subscribers (I’ll neither spam you nor sell your address) will receive my free new guide, 15 Must Have Apps for Self-Publishing Authors. Sign-up today! I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Amazon, Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Editing, Fantasy, Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Pinterest, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Editing, Epic Fantasy, Facebook, Fantasy Cartography, Fantasy Fiction, Fantasy Map, Indie Publishing, Launch, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Twitter, writing
June 9, 2015
Fantasy Authors Unplugged Featuring C. P. Bialois
This is continuing feature on Archer’s Aim – Fantasy Authors Unplugged. I hope to frequently share an interview with a fantasy author. If you have authors to suggest and/or questions you’d like to see answered then leave a comment or send me an email. If you are a fantasy author and would like an interview please let me know and we’ll plan one that fits your schedule. Today, I welcome fellow fantasy author, C. P. Bialois, to Archer’s Aim.
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Q. Hi CP, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
A.Thanks for having me. :) To be honest, I really got started when my dad taught me to read by using comic books. I couldn’t stand the school books (The cat climbed up the hill gets really old. Lol), so he took me to the neighborhood newstand where I started my love affair with Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Tales from the Crypt, and various superheroes. From there, I moved onto the classics like Treasure Island, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek pocket books.
I loved to play out ideas in my head and wrote my own stories for the cartoons and movies I loved, so it only seemed natural that I’d become a writer. Unfortunately, it took about twenty plus years for that.
Now, I’m a multi-genre author that writes mainly Epic Fantasy and Horror, but I’m open to trying just about anything.
Q. What’s the title of your current book and the plot?
A. My latest release is The Winter Creek Hunter. It’s the second in a trilogy centered on a quiet town in Pennsylvania where strange monsters appear. The town is protected by Sheriff Jay Lightfeather who is a skinwalker and can transform into a werewolf.
A year after the town was terrorized by a Beast (Bigfoot), many don’t believe the Beast was killed or left. Someone hires a bounty hunter to kill the Beast and he arrives armed with silver bullets.
Jay then faces the proposition that he could be in the crosshairs as another, deadlier creature rises from a curse from the past.
Q, What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
A. Honestly, that would have to be my Third Person Omniscient writing style. In an age when Third Person Limited is the norm, I’m often incorrectly labeled a head-hopper because my style isn’t very popular. But Omniscient is gaining traction again! Yay! Lol
Q. What has been the best compliment?
A. That’s a tough one. Lol I have to call it a tie between readers loving my characters and having others say my style and trust in my readers to understand what I’m saying is refreshing.
B. Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is special?
A. I love coming of age stories as well as damaged characters, especially the tough guys that have a fear or struggle with something that seems to cool to others. In the Winter Creek trilogy, Jay Lightfeather is forced to accept his ancestral gift of being a skinwalker and transforming into an immortal werewolf to protect his tribe (Winter Creek) from evil.
His reluctance to give himself fully over to his ability is a fun thing to explore. :)
Q. Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?
A. Sam Elliot. He’s got the voice and presence that would be perfect for Jay.
Q. How did you decide to become a writer and when did you really commit to it?
A. It just sort of happened. Around 2007 or so, I got the urge to write a few short stories and share them with my coworkers. I didn’t have anything more than that in mind, but they kept saying I should write books and so one day I listened. The next thing I knew I was addicted and loving every minute of it. :)
Q. What’s the biggest change you’ve found in your writing over time?
A. I’d have to say my consistency. I can switch from a faster paced thriller style to the typical semi-formal fantasy style at will since I found my voice. It’s helped to push me to improve my overall mechanics and storytelling ability that is apparent when looking at my books from the first one to my newest releases.
Q. What’s your next writing project?
A. Currently, I’m getting the fourth novel in my Epic Fantasy series, The Sword and the Flame: The Dragonmaster ready for release in November and am transcribing and continuing to write the fifth novel (The Rebirth) in the series.
I’m also kicking around attempting a choose-your-path detective YA book for Camp NaNoWriMo in July. No promises, though. Lol
Author Bio
CP Bialois’ love of words began as a small child when his father bought a stack of comics to teach him the reading skills he wasn’t mastering in class. Before long, he was reading at an advanced level and teachers were shaking their heads over the unconventional method.
Growing up in the ‘80s, Bialois was exposed to even further inspiration through the popular cartoons of the day. Transformers, in particular, sparked his imagination and led to him put his first stories on paper. After a decades-long break, Bialois began getting back into the world of writing by joining some role-playing groups. These groups taught him about fleshing out characters and building worlds that stuck with him as he began writing short stories for fun.
To his surprise, Bialois would end up completing his first full-length novel, Call of Poseidon, in 2007. Armed with a finished product, Bialois began working on another book, The Sword and the Flame, unsure of what he would ultimately be doing with either. As with many others in the later part of the first decade of the 2000’s, he found himself out of work and looking into new options. Over the next two years, he would spend most days at the library, completing an additional half-dozen works.
Six books later, Bialois is planning for the release of many more and enjoying the feedback he receives. The up-and-coming author takes inspiration from favorites such as Steven King, Tom Clancy and Sue Grafton. His love of history, fantasy and old monster movies has also served as a muse.
When he’s not busy writing or chatting on his social networks, Bialois enjoys watching hockey and football as well as Metallica DVDs. He currently lives with his wife- a fellow writer- and their fur children. CP Bialois is also active in several South Florida writing groups, as well as the online writer community, and the Florida Writers Association.
Contact Links:
Website: https://cpbialois.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCPBialois
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CPBialois
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/CP-Bialois/e/B006QK4TX2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1433518673&sr=8-3
Sales Links:
The Winter Creek Beast: http://amzn.to/1MbdQG1
The Winter Creek Hunter: http://amzn.to/1KR44vy
The Sword and the Flame: The Forging: amzn.to/1bCtsSA
Thanks to CP for being featured today. As always, please check out his books as well as connect with him – he’d love to hear from you. If you’re a fantasy author and would like to be interviewed for “Fantasy Authors Unplugged” just contact me via email or one of my social media channels and we’ll set one up.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. I’ve updated the site with a new landing page starting today but you can still view the News page for announcements. As part of the changes, new email subscribers will receive my free new guide, 15 Must Have Apps for Self-Publishing Authors. Sign-up today! I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Amazon, Blogging, C. P. Bialois, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Pinterest, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Sword and the Flame: The Forging, The Winter Creek Beast, The Winter Creek Hunter, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, C. P. Bialois, Coverart, creativity, Facebook, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Sword and the Flame: The Forging, The Winter Creek Beast, The Winter Creek Hunter, Twitter, writing
June 8, 2015
Conference Notes Pt. 1: Compelling Characters
I attended a local writing conference recently where a best-selling author of Amish romance taught a workshop about making characters compelling. Here are some highlights from her instruction which I found very interesting.
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Character Building
Building a character takes as much time as other elements like plot, setting and pacing so don’t rush through this process.
Characters are what readers remember most so pertinent details and actions leave the most impression.
However, much like a plot often needs a change from what is planned, a character may need a similar overhaul mid-way through a draft – if it’s a common occurrence with plot don’t be surprised or annoyed when it happens with a character.
Also, when building a character discover your own best way to uncover the essence of your character. Yes, a character interview may work well for some writers. However, you might try something else, like pretending to explain – or sell – the character to an editor. I found this last idea interesting since you might even find that you argue your points about your character in order to really get familiar with them.
Ask lots of questions of yourself regarding how changes in the story would change the character and vice versa.
Character & Events
A character may be seemingly ordinary but the extraordinary events in the story may reveal extraordinary traits.
While good and bad events occur as the character experiences the story-arc, your character may react to these events differently than expected. A seemingly good event might actually be something that affects the character negatively, such as fear of success.Characterization
When opening the story, find subtle ways to reveal a character’s traits and do so quickly.
Readers don’t have to agree with a character – whether they have the same ideals or swear or whatever – they just need to identify with the why and what of the character’s circumstance that is compelling.
Lies & misunderstandings are important for creating empathy for a character. For instance, a character may be lying throughout for good and bad reasons, but whatever they are trying to hide can be powerful to a reader. Likewise, what characters believe about themselves that are lies can also be powerful. This deceptions can shape all their actions throughout the story, maybe even affect their truthfulness with other characters. It’s important to find either or both kinds of lies and use them effectively.
I hope the highlights help you think about building a compelling character. I know I’ll put these to better use in the future. Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. I’ve updated the site with a new landing page starting today but you can still view the News page for announcements. As part of the changes, new email subscribers (you’ll neither be spammed nor have your address sold) will receive my free new guide, 15 Must Have Apps for Self-Publishing Authors. Sign-up today! I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Editing, Indie Publishing, Pinterest, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, writing
